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Pachanga review: Grupo Fantasma
Bands usually need to be judicious about throwing new material into a live set, lest fans grow restive waiting to hear something familiar. But the material from Grupo Fantasma’s forthcoming “Sonidos Gold” is so strong, with such infectious melodies, sizzling arrangements and irresistible grooves, that the crowd Saturday at Pachanga Fest danced and swayed enthusiastically to unreleased songs such as “Rebotar,” “El Sabio Soy Yo” and “Levantame” as though they were old favorites from a greatest-hits anthology. (The album is due out June 17, although copies were available at the show.)
Grupo Fantasma even had the audience singing along with “Gimme Some,” which pretty much channels the zeitgeist in its chorus: “I ain’t got no money — gimme some!” The number achieved the tricky feat of sounding very like vintage Santana without seeming remotely derivative. The 11-piece Austin ensemble has such an organic, eclectic approach that it never sounds retro, even when it’s drawing on heavy influences that include salsa giants the Fania All-Stars (whose legendary pianist and arranger, Larry Harlow, guests on the new record) and Prince, who has become a mentor.
Funk mingles easily with salsa, cumbia and other Latin rhythms in Grupo Fantasma’s music because the arrangements are so full — the band often sounds more like an orchestra — yet so lean. All the members are listening intently to everything that’s going on, and nobody lays down anything extraneous or rote. There were plenty of memorable solos Saturday. Matthew “Sweet Lou” Holmes played some particularly tasty congas on “Naci de La (Rumba y Guaguanco),” Joshua Levy had an especially fine baritone sax turn on “Gimme Some,” and Gilbert Elorreaga launched “Levantame” with his soaring trumpet. But no matter how much attention one player was drawing, nobody was running on autopilot in the background. There are plenty of players with chops, but not many who work together as well as the members of Grupo Fantasma.
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By Luis
June 2, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
This was a fantastic show,the whole festival was fantastic.There were not many people but the ones there had a blast.Gracias a todos los que trabajaron tan duro para hacer esta fiesta tan padre.Ojale y nos vemos en 2009 otra vez!!